5 Things You Need To Know Today (September 8, 2017)

If the energy boost, delicious taste, and link to a longer life aren't enough for you, consider this: A new study conducted on mice found that substances in coffee can help reduce your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. Excuse us while we go brew a cup. (Eureka Alert!)

We've all experienced that post-sugar thirst, but why does it happen? According to Dr. Caroline Apovian, a professor at the Boston University of the school of medicine, it's all about the fact that sugar enters your stomach first and then makes its way into your bloodstream. And it's absorbed pretty quickly, making you feel thirsty within 5 or 10 minutes. But when that thirst strikes, Apovian encourages people to reach for water rather than sugar beverages. "You’re not only confusing your energy balance system by putting more sugar into your body, but also getting a load of empty calories," she says. (TIME)

The explosion of this global industry—producing the most versatile, least expensive vegetable oil in the world—has led to massive greenhouse gas emissions and the devastation of the natural habitats of endangered species. The independent farmers producing sustainable palm-oil based products and using lower amounts of pesticides and fertilizers are the environment's best hope. (Vogue)

The National Hurricane Center described the hurricane as “potentially catastrophic," and officials in places expected to be hit by Irma (Turks and Caicos, Florida) are entreating residents to evacuate. (NYT)

A new study, published in the journal Hormones and Behavior, showed that about 10 percent of men report symptoms of depression after the birth of a child. That's double the normal rate of depression and experts think it's connected to changes in testosterone levels. (New York Post)